Electric switch



w 1 t 6 w 0 h 0 a 6 S 1 t 1 e m s 2 3 2 Gwm WT. NW N ll 1 i w mm K mm E R n F Sept. 21 1926.

INVENTOR.

mud

TTORNEYS.

Sept. 21 ,1926. 1,600,660

R. K. WINNING ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented se e21,1926. I I 1,603,660

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT K. WINNING, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T GLUM MANUFAC- TURING CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSILL A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed April 13,1923. Serial No. 631,852.

This invention relates to electric switches, switch assembly made in accordance with and more particularly to a switch assembly the present invention, with the rear insulat adapted for use upon the dashboard of a ing disc or plate removed, exposing the mov-' motor vehicle for controlling the ignition able contact member, the said figure being and lighting circuits thereof, and has for taken approximate] on the plane indicated one of its objects to provide a switch of this by the line 11 of ig. 2; character. which will be simple in construc- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the tion, comparatively inexpensive to manufacparts shownin Fig. 1, taken approximately ture, and more eiiicient in use than those on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of 10 which have been heretofore proposed. I the said figure, looking in the direction of Specifically, it is an object of this inventhearrows', and showing the lighting switch; tion to provide means whereby a short Fig. 3 is a'viewsimilar to Fig. 2, taken stemmed operating handle having a hub approximately on the plane indicated by the mounted on the face plate of a switch casing, line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction 15 may be utilized to hold a set of stampings or of .the arrows andshowing the ignition sheet metal members in compact assembly switch; 1 upon the inner surface of the face plate, said Fig. 4. is a view similar to Fig.1, with the members including a locking disk, a co-operrear plate or disc of insulation and the movative locking slide, and an oscillatory switch able contact members removed, the ignition 20 member, all of which are-securely held in poswitch being shown in unlocked position; sition by a detachable key or pin, and where- Fig. 5 is a rear elevationalview, with the by the locking slide or the handle retaining rear insulating disc or plate in position, and portion thereof may have a bearing on the showing the various connections between the inner surface of the face plate in the closest contact points of the switches; and,

possible proximity to the handle and may Figure 6 is a detail View of the locking g0 lock the handle without having strains transdisk, slide, and, slide operating eccentric in mitted' through that portion of the stem assembled relation to each other.. upon which the switch member is mounted. In the said drawings the numeral 10 indi- A further object of this invention is to cates any suitable housing or casing, prefer- ;y) provide a switch structure in which an 05- ably formed of sheet metal, and provided 5 cillatory'handle stem, polysided in cross secwith a face plate 11, having suitable opention, may be utilized to operatively engage ings through which project the stems of the a series of stampings including a locking switch handles or levers, 12 and 13, and the disk, a co-operating slide, a clamping disk, knob or fingermember 14, by means of which and a switch member, all of which may be the various switches may be controlled, as

clamped in position and removably held to will presently appear. The rear portion of the inner surface of the face plate of aswitch the said casing 10 is normally closed by casing under resilient pressure by an ordimeans of an insulating disc or plate 15, pronary cotter pin. vided with three sets of stationary contact A still further object of the invention is to members, 17, 18 and 19, see Fig. 5, which are provide a simple, inexpensive, and relatively adapted to co-act respectively with three sets efiicient means for locking the ignition conof movable contact members, 2Q, 21 and 22, trolling switch. to respectively control theignition main and With the above and other objects in View, auxiliary lighting circuits. The construc- 45 which will appear as the description protion of the contact members of these switches ceeds, the invention consists in the novel deforms'no' particular part of the resent intails of construction and combinations of vention, and they may be of any esired and parts more fully hereinafter disclosed. and suitable construction. Certain of the conparticularly pointed. out in the appended tact members 18 may havea resistance coil 50 Claim i 23 bridged across them for the purpose of Referring to the accompanying drawings dimming the headlights in the well known forming a part of this specification, in which manner. like numerals designate like parts in all the As above stated, the switches may be, of views: 1 f iv any desired construction, but are preferably Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a of the oscillatory type, and the movable' 1.10

member of the ignition controlling switch, which has a square central opening in which the stem '25 of the handle 12 is adapted to fit. The portion of the stem within the casing and adjacent to the face plate is square in cross section and receives the. locking disk 26, see Figures 1 andG, said disk having a square opening through which the stem 25 passes before passing through the oscillatory member 20. The disk 26 is provided with a notch 27 in its outer margin, said margin also having an elongated notch 27' in which a relatively fixed projection 27 may loosely engage to limit the oscillatory movement of the disk, stem 25 and handle 12. The stop 27" projects from the inner surface of the face plate, as best shown in Figure 1.

1n locking position the recess 27 receives a locking tooth 29 which projects into the aperture 30 of a slide member 31 which is preferably formed to encircle the disk 26.

The aperture 30 is elongated to allow a movement of the slide sufficient to carry the tooth 29 into or out of the recess 27, said slide being preferably shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 6. The said slide member is also provided with a second hole or aperture 32, to accommodate a disc 33, eccentrically carried by the barrel 34 of a suitable lock 35, which is mounted within the casing or housing 10. The said eccentric disc 33 is provided with a projection 36, adapted to bear against the marginal wall of the aperture 32,

" which marginal wall is preferably provided with a curved notch terminating in shoulders 37, adapted to be engaged by the said projection 36, whereby rotary movement of the disc 33 may be limited. The end of the slide having an aperture 32 is guided or limited as to lateral movement by a projection 32' which is struck up from the face plate, as shown in Figure 4, lateral movement of the slide in the opposite direction being limited by a disk 38 through which extends the stem 39 of the lighting switch handle.

7 The arts are so designed and constructed that w on a key is inserted in the lock 35 and the barrel 34 thereof turned, the rotation of the eccentric disc 33 will, through its engagement with the slide member 31, cause the latter to be reciprocated to bring its tooth or projection 29 into and out of the notch 27 to engage and disengage the disk 26, thereby locking or unlocking'the ignition lever. A bearing plate or disk 40 also having a square aperture to receive the stem 39 is of sufiicient diameter to form a seating for the disk 26 and the associated end por-' tion of the slide 31. This disk 40 is pressed against the disk 26 and slide 31 by a disk shaped member-41 having multiple arms 42.

-The central portion of the oscillatory member 20 bears against the disk 41 and is held in pressure relation thereto by a cotter pin.

or detachable key 44. The multiple arms 42 will of course yield slightly under pressure, whereby when the cotter pin is inserted, all of these interior parts of the switch will be bound to the inner surface of the face plate in pressure relation to each other. The notch 27 is located at a substantial distance from the axis of the operating piece or stem 39, wherebythe locking operation is performed at an effective radius. The disk 26 cannot rotate independently of the large square shank or operating piece 39 which not only has an extended bearing in the disk, but the disk itself is clamped between the face plate and the bearing plate 40 and therefore held against distortion.

The locking mechanism will thus be seen to be extremely simple, and it can be quickly and cheaply manufactured from stamped sheet metal. It thus results that while an ellicient locking means is provided whereby the unauthorized movement of the ignition switch may be effectively prevented, at the same time the cost of manufacture is maintained at the lowest possible point.

\Vhile one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the accompanymg claims:

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a switch including a terminal head and. a face plate, of a plurality of handles having parts projecting through said face plate, a lockable member connected with one of said-handles an'd abut ting said face plate, a locking member formed for interaction with said lockable member and op'eratively connected to receive motion from the other of said handles, said locking member being in contact with .said face plate, and a spring yieldably pressing said locking member toward said face plate, whereby to maintain a pressure engagement between said locking member and face plate.

2. The combination with the terminal head and face plate of a switch, of a resilient contact member confined between said terminal head and face plate, a handle there-for having a portion extending through said face plate, and a locking slide reciprocable along said face plate and interposed between said face plate and contact member and main taine'd under the resilient pressure of said member, means carried by said handle portion for interacting with said slide, and means for reciprocating said slide.

3. Locking means for electric switches comprising the combination with a face plate, of an oscillatory switch member, an operating piece for said switch member extending through the face plate, a locking slide interposed between the switch member and the face plate and encircling said operating piece, said slide being held to the face plate by the switch member, and co-operating means for actuating said slide.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with an oscillatory switch member, an .associated face plate, an operating piece connected with the switch member and extend ing through the face plate, a notched plate associated with the operating piece to oscillate therewith, a slide engagcable in the plate notch when the switch member is in neutral position, a disk adapted to cover the notch plate and the associated portion of the slide to hold them in assembled relation against the inner surface of the face plate, and means for utilizing the switch member and operating piece to hold the disk in retaining-relation to the slide and plate.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with an oscillatory switch member, an associated face plate, an operating piece connected with the switch member and extend ing through the face plate, a notched plate associated with the operating picceto oscillate therewith, a slide engageable in the plate notch when the switch member is in neutral position, a disk adapted to cover the notch plate and the associated portion of the slide to hold them in assembled relation against the inner surface of the face plate, and means for utilizing the switch member and operating piece to holdthe disk in retaining relation to the slide and plate, together with a key-operated member associated with another portion of the slide.

6. In an electric switch, the combination with an oscillatory switch member, an associated face plate, an operating piece connected with the switch member and extending through the face plate, a notched plate associated with the operating piece to oscillate therewith, a slide engageable in the plate notch when the switch member is/in neutral position, a disk adapted to cover thenotch plate and the associated portion of the slide. 'to hold them in assembled relation against the inner surface of the face plate, and meansfor utilizing the switch member and operating piece to hold the disk in retaining relationto the slide and plate, together with a key-operated member associated with another portion of the slide provided with a slide actuating eccentric.

7. In a switch of the class described provided with oscillatable contacts, a disc provided with a recess on its edge, rigid with said contacts; a slidable member provided with a pair o fapertnres,.one of which accommodates said disc and is provided with a projecting tongue adapted to engage said recess; a lock having a rotatable portion; and

an eccentric. disc carried by the rotatable portion of said lock engagin the other of said' apertures in said sli-dablie member for moving the latter to cause its tongue to engage and disengage said recess.

8. In a switch of the class described provided with oscillatable contacts, a disc provided with a recess on its edge, rigid with said contacts; a s'lidable member provided with a pair of apertures, one of which accommodates said disc and is provided with a projecting tongue adapted to engage said recess and the other ofawhich apertures is provided'with shoulders; a lock having a rotatable portion; and an eccentric disc carried by the rotatable portion of said lock engaging the other of said apertures in said slidable member ,for movin the latter'to cause its tongue to engage and disengage said recess, said eccentric disc being provided with a projection adapted toengag'e said shoulders to limit rotation thereof.

9. In an electric switch mechanism, the combination with a switch operating piece, a notched plate detachably mounted thereon and engaged 'to oscillate therewith, a slide having an elongated aperture in one end portion adapted to receive said notched plate and provided with a projection movable into and out of engagement in the notch thereof, and a key-operated eccentric operatively engaged with another portion of the slide to move the slide in a direction to carry its projection into and out of engagement with the notched portion of the plate when said plate and operating piece are in neutral position.

10. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a face plate and a rotatable switch member and a lock therein, of a locking slide reciprocable along said face plate wholly guided in its path of reciprocation along said plate by said switch member and lock, said locking slide and lock being adapted for motion transmitting interaction from said lock to said slide, and said locking slide and switch member being adapted for interaction in a selected position of said' slide to secure said member against rotation.

11. The combination of an oscillatory switch member, a face plate, an operating able key for holding the switch member, disk shaped member, bearing plate, and slide in assembled relation against the inner surface of the face plate; and key-operated means for actuating said slide into and out of lock ing relation with the operating piece.

12. The combination with an oscillatable lock member and an oscillatablc switch actuating meu'ihcr, of a lock plate reciprocably transversely of said members and provided with apertures receiving said members, one of said apertures being in the form of a slot having margins laterally guided by said switch actuating member and having another marginal portion at an end of said slot formed for interaction with said member, together with an eccentric on said lock member, the other of -the.apertures in said platebeing laterally guided upon said eccentric and provided with an arcuate margin complementary to said eccentric and adapted to receive motion therefrom to reciprocate said plate during the oscillation of said last men-- tioned member.

13. The combination with a switch casing including spaced guiding and supporting members, of a pair of manually operable rotors mounted in one of said members, a switch within said casing carried by one of said rotors, locking means carried by the other of said rotors, an. eccentric connected for rotation with'said lastmentioned rotor, a plate held in face contact with one of said members and provided with an aperture receiving said eccentric and having margins complementary thereto, whereby said eccentric is adapted to reciprocate said plate, said plate and the rotor carrying said switch c0ntact being formed for interlocking interaction in one position of reciprocation of said plate. i

14. The'combination with a switch casing including spaced guiding and supporting members, of apair of manually operable rotors mounted in one of said members, a switch within said casing carried bygone of said rotors, locking means carried by the other of said rotors, an eccentric connected for rotation with said last mentioned rotor, a plate held in face contact with one of said members and provided with an aperture receiving said eccentric and having margins.

complementary thereto, whereby said eccentric is adapted to reciprocate said plate, said plate and the rotor carrying saidswitch contact being formed for interlocking interaction in one position of reciprocation of said plate, said plate being interposed between said contact and one of said members and held to said member by said contact.

15. The combination with a switch casing. including a face plate; of manually operable rotors mounted therein and projecting therethrough; a switch contact assembly 1ncluding an actuating member splined to one of said rotors, a contact carrying member secured to said actuating member and guided for free floating movement on the same rotor,

'with reference to the rotor carrying said assembly.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination with a face plate and a switch rotor mounted therein and having a portion projecting interiorly beyond said face plate and provided for-a part of its length with a configuration adapting it for splined connection. with other parts, of a contact carryingeleinent guided on the inner end of said rotor, an actuator connected with said element and in splined connection with said J rotor part, a terminal head spaced from said .face plate and co-vacting with said contact carrying element, locking means interposed between said actuator and said face plate and formed for operative interaction with said rotor to restrain the oscillation thereof in a predetermined position of said locking means, and a second rotor mounted in said face plate and operativelyconnected with said locking means to impart movement thereto, whereby to be adapted to advance it to a position for interaction or to retract it from such position.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination with a face plate and a switch rotor mounted therein and having a portion projecting interiorly beyond said face plate and provided for a part of its length with a configuration adapting it for sphned connection with other parts, of a contact carrying element guided on the innerend of said rotor, .an actuator connected with said element and in splined connection with said rotor part, a terminal head spaced from said face plate and co-acting with said contact carrying element, locking means interposed between said actuator and said face plate and formed for operative interaction with said rotor to restrain the oscillation thereof in a predetermined position of said locking means, and a second rotor mounted in said face plate and operatively connected with said locking means to impart movement thereto, whereby to be adapted to advance it to a position for interaction or to retract it from such position, said locking means comprising a plate guided in a reciprocating path by said rotors.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination with a face plate and a,

switch rotor mounted therein and having a portion projecting interiorly beyond said face plate and provided for a part of its length with a configuration adapting it for splined connection with other parts, of a contact carrying element guided on the inner end of said rotor, an actuator connected with said element and in splined connection with said rotor part, a terminal head spaced from said face plate and co-acting with said contact carrying element, locking means inter posed between said actuator and said face plate and formed for operative interaction with said rotor to restrain the oscillation thereof in a predetermined position of said locking means, and a second rotor mounted in saidv face place and operatively connected with said locking means to impart movement thereto, whereby to be adapted to advance it to a position for interaction or to retract it from such position, said locking means comprising a plate guided in a recip-.

rocating path by said rotors, said plate being apertured to receive said rotors and each of said rotors being provided with disks connected for rotation therewith and fitted between the lateral margins of said apertures to guide said plate while interacting therewit 19. The combination with a switch-casing including a spaced terminal head and face plate, of a switch rotor projecting through said face plate, a switch contact element guided and floated on the inner end of said rotor, a contact actuator operatively connected with said element and said rotor, a spring interposed between said element and actuator and maintained under compression by the confinement of said element and actuator between said terminal head and face plate, a lock slide interposedbetween said actuator and face plate and held by the compression of said spring in frictional engagement with said face plate, said switch rotor having a part formed for interaction with said slide in one position of said slide, to-

gether with" a lock rotor projecting through said face plate and provided with means connected with said slide for the reciprocation thereof.

29. The combination with a support, a

switch, and lock rotors mounted for oscillation therein, of interlockable members connected to receive motion respectively from different rotors and adapted in one. Position of one of said rotors to restrain the other against oscillation, together with means for subjecting one of said members to resilient frictional pressure, whereby to maintain the position to which it is adjusted.

21. The combination with a support, a switch, and lock rotors mounted for oscillation therein, of interlockable members connected to receive motion-respectively from different rotors and adapted in one position of one of said rotors to restrain the other against oscillation, together with means for subjecting one of said members to resilient frictional pressure, whereby to maintain the position to which it is adjusted, said last mentioned member being in face contact with said support, and said means including a spring carried by one of said rotors andexerting pressure in the direction of said support to press said last mentioned member thercagainst.

22. The combination with a switch actuating member, of a disk splined thereto, a slide apertured to receive said disk and formed for motion restraining interaction therewith in one position of said slide, a support for said rotor including an abut-' ment for said disk and slide, anda washer encircling said rotor in face contact with both said disk and said slide, whereby to S5. maintain said disk and slide against said abutment and in a common plane.

23. The combination with a switch actuating member, of a disk splinedthereto, a slide apertured-to receive said disk andformed for motion restraining interaction therewith in one position of said slide, a sup port for said rotor including an abutment for said disk and slide, and a washer enc ircling said rotor in face contact with both said disk and said slide, whereby to maintain said disk and slide against said abutment and in a common plane, together with spring seated with reference to a portion of said rotor and resiliently pressing said washer toward said abutment, whereby yieldingly to maintain said disk and slide in frictional engagement with said abutment.

24. In a device of the character described, the combination with a support and a switch rotor mounted therein, of a switch assembly including a pair of oppositely acting springs secured upon said rotor in a position where one of said springs is maintained under compression in the direction of said support, a switch contact under pressure of the other of said springs, a terminal head co-acting with said contact.

25. In a device of the character described, the combination with a support and a switch rotor mounted therein, of a switch assembly including a pair of oppositely acting springs secured upon said rotor in a position where one of said springs is maintained under compression in the direction of said support, a switch contact under pressure of the other of said springs, a terminal head co-acting with said contact, and a locking-slide for said rotor interposed between said springs and support, together .with means extending throu h said support for the actuation of said s ide.

26. In a deviceof the character described,

the combination with "a support and a switch rotor mounted therein, of a switch assembly including a pair of oppositely acting springs secured upon said rotor in a position where one of said springs is maintained under compression in the direction of said support, a switch contact under pressure of the other of said springs, a terminal head co-acting with said contact, and a locking slide for said rotor interposed between said springs and support, together with means extending through said support for the actuation of said slide, said slide being guided upon said means and said rotor in its path of reciprocation along said support.

27. 111 a device of the character described, the combination with a switch rotor and a lock rotor, of a locking plate operatively adapted to interact with said switch rotor to restrain motion thereof in one position of said plate, and means for actuating said plate including an eccentric on said locking rotor, said eccentric including a radially projecting lug and said late being provided with an aperture fitted about said eccentric including said lug and having an arcuate margin of limited extent for the travel of said lug, said margin terminating in shoulders whereby to restrict the rotative movement of said lock rotor.

28. In a device of the character described, the combination of a lock rotor, of a lock slide arranged to receive reciprocative movement therefrom, said rotorbeing provided with an eccentric having portions of diflering radii, and said slide having an aperture provided with complementary portions formed in arms of differing radii, the eccentric and the margin of said aperture being formed for interaction to restrict the oscillation of said rotor.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROBERT K. WINNING. 

